Today, I'm thankful that I was born in Bryant and lived there until I was 13. Today, I traveled with my parents and Cora to say good-bye to a very special man from Bryant Wesleyan Church-Glen Dale Shoemaker. He was like a grandpa to many and a pillar in the church. I'm so glad I got to go to the viewing today.
I'm also glad that we got to see a good number of people that have attended Bryant Wesleyan Church at one time or another. It was so special to visit with these people who have played roles in my life from a very early age and some who still play a role in my life through our connection on Facebook.
I'm so glad I had the chance to grow up in such a small town. The church people felt like family. And my school, even though it was a public school, often felt like a private (maybe even Christian, at times) school. My dad came in many times and participated in events and he was often called if the school knew of a family in need. And I developed some close relationships with some of the teachers and staff at the school. I could ride my bike around town and my parents didn't need to worry about my safety...especially since they knew pretty much all of the 300 people.
I also think the slow pace of life when we lived in Bryant helped me be able to learn the basics of being a Christian and what it means. This was when I first asked Christ in my life and was baptized at the age of 9.
As I was telling my dad today, I know I was young when I lived in Bryant, but as I think back to my time in Bryant, I only have happy memories. I'm thankful that I had the chance to grow up in a town like Bryant and have so many special people in my life at such a crucial time in my life.
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